This invention relates to gauge apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for gauging the wear of a sprocket.
In general, it is well-known to provide a gauge in the form of a template for attempting to determine the extent of wear of the tooth area of the sprocket. In general, such a template includes a protruding portion the outer surface of which is sized and configured to conform with the sprocket surface connecting adjacent tooth tips (with such sprocket surface in a worn state). Such a template also generally defines extending surfaces which contact the adjacent tooth tips with the protruding portion so positioned. In the use of this device, in theory, as the sprocket surface between such adjacent tooth tips wears, a gap will be seen between the protruding portion and such sprocket surface connecting the adjacent teeth, with the extended portions still in contact with the tooth tips of the sprocket. The problem encountered in the use of such an apparatus is that the tooth tips themselves wear to an extent over a period of time, so that the protruding portion of the template will extend further in the recess between the tooth tips than if such tip wear did not take place, resulting in a misreading of the actual extent of wear of sprocket.